{"id":3883,"date":"2020-12-15T06:30:56","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T06:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thewalkeronline.com\/?p=3883"},"modified":"2020-12-15T06:30:56","modified_gmt":"2020-12-15T06:30:56","slug":"australia-storms-floods-spark-evacuation-warnings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewalkeronline.com\/?p=3883","title":{"rendered":"Australia Storms: Floods Spark Evacuation Warnings"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nDecember 15, 2020\/Australia-
\nAustralian authorities have issued evacuation warnings for low-lying towns in northern New South Wales (NSW) as storms batter the nation’s east coast.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, emergency officials said they had fielded about 150 calls for help in the past 24 hours.<\/p>\n

Huge swells pummelled the coasts of NSW and south-east Queensland on Monday, causing major erosion.<\/p>\n

An already depleted beach at Byron Bay – a popular holiday spot – had all but disappeared, locals said.<\/p>\n

Authorities said the storm had moved south on Tuesday, bringing the threat of flooding to inland NSW.<\/p>\n

They told communities around the Tweed River to evacuate on Tuesday, after it burst its banks. Some electricity, internet and other utility networks were also disrupted.<\/p>\n

Meteorologists say the system has already released an amount of rain similar to a cyclone – about 1,000mm over four days.<\/p>\n

Australia is currently experiencing a La Ni\u00f1a weather pattern, which typically brings more rainfall and tropical cyclones during the nation’s summer.<\/p>\n

What’s the latest?
\nHeavy rain affected a 1,000km (620 miles) stretch of Australia’s east coast – including Brisbane and the Gold Coast – but was expected to ease late on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

In one area, Upper Springbook in Queensland, close to a metre of rain had fallen since Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology said.<\/p>\n

The NSW State Emergency Service said it had carried out 12 flood rescues so far, warning people to stay indoors and avoid driving through floodwaters.<\/p>\n

Some roads in the area between Tweed Heads and Taree were forced to close due to floods.<\/p>\n

On Monday, authorities in Queensland warned that they had seen “abnormally high” tides up to 30cm higher than normal. All beaches in the area have been closed.<\/p>\n

Officials also recorded 8m-high swells and gale force winds exceeding 104km\/h (64 mph) at Byron Bay.<\/p>\n

About 2,500 calls for emergency assistance have been made across the two states since Thursday, mostly for water damage to homes and for fallen trees and power poles.<\/p>\n

There have been no confirmed reports of injuries or deaths, but authorities said they were investigating a man’s death in a car crash on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.<\/p>\n

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